Old Aquaintances
by Epic Awsome
Summary: Childhood friends can be a real pain in da ass sumtimes but now, working together they ignore there differences to save the western lands (it is western right HEH!) LOL I suck at summaries WAS co-written by K-T but ah nvm ENJOY!
1. Chapter One: Of Fate and Wolves

Disclaimer: {Guess what? I don't own anything, except for Kurounmei.} ((and sadly only Rinku is mine ::Sniffsniff::))

Kati: Had to move Old Acquaintances out of Imagination Version 7.0 on request from Chels, we've got this wonderful new sign on though together… its all good

{___} that is Kati's comments, not part of the story

When its in two of these (( like this)) that means its Chels-dawg is talking, its not in the fanfic!!!

Underline is the beginning of a chapter

-~-~-~-~-~- Means around same time, different setting, same character(s)

_-_-_-_-_-_ Means Around same time, different people

*-*-*-*-*-* Means years apart baby!! Long time no see

Chapter One: Of Fate and Wolves

Sesshomaru and Kurounmei {means black Fate} perched in an ancient tree above the gardens where Inuyasha and Rinku Ookami played. The younger pairs laughing wafted through the fragrant trees and bushes, and carried up to the older pair. 

"Childish." Sesshomaru said, his voice full of disgust and scorn.

"Hmm… don't suppose we ever did that when we were five did we?" Unmei smirked, spitting her sarcasm. "Lighten up Sesshy!"

"Don't call me that."

"Now you've overgrown that too? For you its like twelve is too old for everything." She gave him a playful shove that fully knocked him out of the tree and sent him plunging the thirty feet earthward. Being the full-blooded youkai {Full demon} that he was he easily flipped and landed half kneeling on the packed dirt path. Experimenting with his power, Sesshomaru extended it in the form of a whip, which wrapped around her ankle and with a tug, pulled Unmei –considerably less gracefully- from the slim branch. 

Unmei landed tactlessly due to the whip coiled around her leg and the fashion in which it was retracting into his hand, it loosed its hold and she struggled up to her feet. "Now I'm glad I ignored mother when she told me to wear my kimono." She grumbled. "Oww! My butt." She shook her waist length blue-black hair out of her face and her lavender eyes glinted dangerously. "Hey, I've got an idea! Wanna see if I can still beat you?"

"You only won last time because Inuyasha was in my way.:

"Yes or no, Lord High-and-Mighty?"

"Fine." Within a split second Sesshomaru was behind her, she spun aiming to score with her claw-like nails. He got out of the way with time to spare and tried the whip again. 

Unmei tried to distract him with meaningless talk while dodging. "You know what, I've always envied the way your hair is longer than mine, even though you're a guy, and how your markings came out all cool." She gestured quickly to her own seven scratch-esque silver face markings, three on her right cheek three on her left and one on the center of her forehead. She had more on her hands and back, Sesshomaru hadn't seen the ones on her back for obvious reasons, but she claimed to have them though.

"Hnn." He sliced at her face, missing only slightly.

"Too bad we can't use our true forms here, Inuyasha's mom would get pissed off if we trampled her roses though." As Sesshomaru had his dog form, Unmei had a Panther form, she complained that it looked like a confused tiger because of her odd colorings and markings. You couldn't tell she was a panther youkai at first glance because all she had to prove that by in human form was fangs.

The talking Unmei was doing only diverted her attention more from her surroundings and she backed into the tree fairly hard. Sesshomaru snatched her wrists in one hand and put his free one beside her, blocking exits. Their faces were less than three inches apart. Sesshomaru felt something small and round hit his lower calf and turned to see a small blue ball and further back, Inuyasha and Rinku, their mouths agape.

"I win." Sesshomaru said recovering first, he released Unmei and from his superior height, shot her a glare that clearly said 'shut up'.

Rinku 'eeped' and raced forward rescuing the ball and then diverting her course off into the bushes by the tree. Inuyasha followed suit.

After a lengthy silence Unmei spoke up. "That was… interesting." She brushed off her black fuku and pants, seemingly attentive to the red fire-like hemming on both which also spread across her right shoulder.

"Unmei? Kurounmei!" A gruff voice echoed from the garden entrance.

"See ya' Sesshy!" She dashed off toward the source of the voice, her father, disregarding any comments sullen Sesshomaru might have made.

-~-~-~-~-~-~

"Yes daddy?" She reached her father in record time and skidded to a stop.

"Collect your things, we leave at noon."

"What?"

"We are leaving the court."

"Why? Why can't we stay here?"

"Enough!" He cried, startling Unmei. "Be obedient for once and go!"

Unmei did, skittering in the direction of the palace like a kicked animal.

-~-~-~-~-~-~

She did not have time to say good bye to Sesshomaru, nor was she permitted to. The carriage pulled out at high noon and she took one last good look at the place she had called home all her life. It was all behind her now as they fled the Lord of the Western Lands, all over a simple disagreement her father and he had held. And where they were headed even her 'wise' father did not know.

_-_-_-_-_-_

Rinku sat there looking at Inuyasha, as they rolled the little blue ball his mother had given him earlier, she was about five at the time, he was the same maybe a little older. "So what's your mommy and daddy like??" he asked.

"Mommy and daddy??" she looked at the ball as it rolled her way, her claws placed gently around it as she tried not to pop the ball. 

"You know, my daddy's dead but my mommy's nice, you've been eating at my house since we've met, don't you have a house and a momma to cuddle up too??" his white dog-like ears twitched as he yawned. 

She looked away slightly, "Well I- .....no" 

He looked at her with confusing eyes "but why??" 

"I dunno every time I go near her she gets all..... mad" he looks down remembering his mother, how safe he feels in her arms when she hugs him, wondering how Rinku could live with out a mother (( Its soooo sad :'()). Rinku stood up, looking toward a couple kids playing. "Those are my brothers and sisters, ....or at least half" He cocked his head in a cute way, she giggled at him and turned to explain. "my father is a wolf demon in a humane form disguised, so he could get closer to my so-called mom, My mother didn't know till she had me... saw my ears, teeth and claws.... my father had left by then, and instead of killing me she kicked me out of the house, furious, she hates demons... so after that she went and found a ((hot hunky sumo wrestler ^-^)) Village man and had my half brothers and sisters" she looked back toward them. 

"Oh..." he said as he studied them over "they don't look like you" he was noting, because her hair was black but with golden streaks resembling that of a wolf, also her golden eyes, his were golden too but he had white hair and white ears, hers were entirely black.

A demon crow flew out of the tree and swept down toward her screaming brothers and sisters running away from the demon, "NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!" Rinku jumped at the demon screaming "SILVER CLAW OF DEATH!!!" slashing the demon to pieces, she stood staring in horror at her claws, Inuyasha watching wide-eyed holding his ((little cute, adorable)) ball, ((They didn't know about there powers yet!!)) She walked toward her terrified, crying half brothers and sisters "a-are you ok?" she was cut off by a vicious slap across her face, causing her to fall back, she looked up tears in her eyes to see what- who hit her, her eyes softened in shock "M-mommy??" 

"You little beast, how dare you call me that!!!" her brothers and sisters ran to hide behind their mom. "beast?..." 

Rinku slowly rose to her feet wiping away the fresh tears rolling down her face she looked up her sharp golden wolf eyes staring into her mothers cold humane eyes, there was also fear in her mother's eyes too, for her love was for her human children, her hatred was for Rinku, she was disgusted. Rinku was a curse to her, she was ashamed she had had a child, with demon blood running through her veins. A strong looking village man stood by her mother's side looking at Rinku.

Inuyasha a ran to his mother confused with all the village men crowding around Rinku, forcing her toward the forest with arrows and stones, "Mother why are they hurting Rinku, what did she do??" His mother only watched sadness in her eyes, thinking that if they did that to Rinku her child may be next. Rinku stepped back slowly, glancing at Inuyasha and his mother, she knew he was safe, but was guilty, angry at herself, trying to figure out what she did wrong, her mother looking coldly at her happy to see her leave. A single tear left Rinku's face as an arrow skinned her arm her ears twitched with the new feeling of pain, she turned running deep into the forest her blood dripped every few steps hoping she could leave her scent for Inuyasha to follow.  



	2. Chapter Two: Growing Pains

Disclaimer: We Own nothing NOTHING I tell you!! Except for our characters.

Kati: So sad, really truly I am… Had problems moving the poor story out of it's womb-like haven in Imagination Version 7.0… but it's all okay now, isn't it baby??

Chels: She's talking to the fic again…

{___} that is Kati's comments, not part of the story

When its in two of these (( like this)) that means its Chels-dawg is talking, its not in the fanfic!!!

Underline is the beginning of a chapter

-~-~-~-~-~- Means around same time, different setting, same character(s)

_-_-_-_-_-_ Means Around same time, different people

*-*-*-*-*-* Means years apart baby!! Long time no see

Chapter Two: Growing Pains

Rinku walked through the woods looking for shelter, it was a cold night with the breeze through her hair; she shivered, her hand on her arm, the bleeding just about stopped. She perked her ears towards the village to make sure they hadn't gone after her; she sniffed the air and looked up in the trees, smelling the blood of a demon, she backed up and didn't take her eyes off the tree

__

Kati writing everyone except Rinku (chels-dawg)

"Rinku." Sesshomaru jumped, landing less than three feet from her.

Where is Unmei?

"H-how do you know my name?!" She backed up a little revealing her claws and glaring at him.

"I've seen you with inuyasha"

"He has taken a liking to you" Sesshomaru advanced calmly.

She looked down "Yeah, w-well what do you know about that!" Then she steps back.

"I am his older brother, Sesshomaru." He steps forward again

'Older brother!?" She takes another step back. {It's like a waltz! Forward, back, forward, back!!}

"As I said before, where is Unmei?"

"I-I don't know!!!!" She stands her ground.

"Your bleeding..." Sesshomaru's voice was calm and controlled.

She put her hand on her arm and went to retreat. He grabs her arm, the sudden motion opening the cut more (Any further injury he had planned was put off for his ears twitched slightly as he heard the distant sound of hoof-beats and cart wheels on rocky ground)

"OWWWWW!!!!!!!!" She pulled back on her arm to loosen his grip and perks her hers and looked down the road toward the sound.

The bleeding had started again in greater measure as fresh blood stained his hand. He let go -ignoring the blood- as the black carriage with gold detailing comes into view, revealing that in her haste Rinku had gone further than she meant to into the forest.

"Black and gold... Unmei." He murmured and within seconds he was in front of the cart.

The horses spooked and one broke through its worn leather halter, racing off into the far woods 

she stared, never seeing a carriage before and retreated into the forest, she runs through, stopping at a tree. Her sensitive ears heard everything they said.

"You!" Unmei's father clambered out of the coach tearing off the cloth door hanging in his haste. "Get out of the way."

Rinku sat in the tree, she cocked her head, watching the scene.

"No." Sesshomaru remained cold and detached.

"Move brat."

"Daddy!"

"Shut up!" Her father scowled at Unmei who had stuck her head out of the vehicle

"But dad!"{Unmei}Her papa smacks her and she flinches.

"Stop." Sesshomaru's tone was sedate.

"What brat? Who are you to tell me what to do?"

Rinku -still watching- thought to herself "Her fathers a real ass pushin' her around like that, humph"

I said stop. Sesshomaru was in the air in a flash and then his claws were buried in the father's chest. The victim just gapes. Then seemingly, realizing he should be dead, he collapses.

"Father!" Unmei leapt out of the cart.

Rinku jumped out of the tree and walked closer to the incident to take a better look.

"Gods! Kurounmei! Get back in the carriage!" Unmei's mother peeks out in time to see the death of her husband.

"But." Unmei objects, cradling her father's head on her lap.

Rinku sighs and thought, "Man is that demon in for a beatin'"

"Now!" Unmei laid her father down respectfully and, without so much as a glance to her child hood friend, jumps in as her mother spurs the remaining horses. All this without a tear, there would be time later.

Sesshomaru watched the rattling cart turn out of sight without emotion. Yet inside he was feeling the slightest amount of regret.

Rinku tumbled out of the bushes with as much grace as she could muster. Rubbing a newfound bump she grimaced. "Uh that was all your fault wasn't it?"

"You stayed." (He ignored the remark and lingered, facing the road.

"Well, got no were to go, I guess it was the best thing to do at the moment"

He glanced at the carcass lying on the road. "No one must know of this."

"Who's to tell?"

"You shall hold your tongue." He paused. "Despite."

"Despite what?" She glances his way, dauntless.

"Despite the fact that if you should tell it will go worse for you than for me"

Her black ears twitched as she hit a sore spot on her arm with her claws "Owwwwwww."

"You should go." Finally he turned to face her.

"That's a threat isn't it!!" She growls, searching his face for an answer. "Go where?!"

"The villagers use poisoned arrows."

"So what, how would YOU know"

"I am a demon poison dose not affect me... I think."

"My father introduced this poison to them through his poison claw attack." Solemnly he walked by her, his eyes trained on the edge of the forest and soon enough he was out of sight

Rinku walked through the woods, her hand hiding the wound; She thought about what Sesshomaru had said about the poison "Hah! Why should I believe him anyway?!" She sat near a stream, she took her hand from the wound and let the blood stain the moss-covered rock next to her. "But just in case..." she jumped down into the knee-deep water and slowly lowered her arm into the cold water, the wound had been deeper that she thought. "Heh, it was his fault it started bleeding again anyway!" She lowered her arm in again, to clear it of the new blood that appeared. Her tummy growled and she leaned against the rock, aching to be at the village with Inuyasha and his mom eating in there warm house. She sighed watching the fish swim by, she jumped at them, and popped her head out of the water with the fish in her mouth, she smiled, and did this for over an hour catching fish and eating them, and she was enjoying herself thoroughly. 

Swimming sounded good.

Rinku jumped out shaking all of the water off like a dog, even though she was a wolf she had developed dog -like habits from Inuyasha. She sighed, missing Inuyasha, as he was her only friend, and she sort of had a crush on him. She wondered about what Sesshomaru had said. 'He has taken a liking to you.' She blushed, and burped sitting around, bored. 

About an hour later She was startled my rustling in the bushes near were she was sitting, she jumped up on her feet and stared at the bushes, and was shocked to see Inuyasha himself jump out of them, startling them both.

"R-Rinku!" 

"Inuyasha…What are you doing here?" 

"I've been following your scent from the village" his eyes went cold "I also smelt Sesshomaru, are you ok?" 

"Yah m' arm hurts a little but I'm ok." 

"Good I'm glad, I gotta go, stay near here I'll try and visit sometime!" He leant over and kissed her cheek and ran off, leaving the blushing Rinku sitting there next to the pile of fish bones.


	3. Chapter Three: Burning Prophecies

{___} that is Kati's comments, not part of the story

When its in two of these (( like this)) that means its Chels-dawg is talking, its not in the fanfic!!!

Underline is the beginning of a chapter

-~-~-~-~-~- Means around same time, different setting, same character(s)

_-_-_-_-_-_ Means Around same time, different people

*-*-*-*-*-* Means years apart baby!! Long time no see

Chapter Three: Burning Prophecies

Rinku had stayed in her little spot by the stream for sometime, living off the fish in the pond. Inuyasha had come and gone with his ((wonderful, kind, so cute :)')) visits, she sighed thinking of him. And of Sesshomaru, and Unmei, it has been about two and a half years since that incident, and she felt a little bored of that spot. The only thing that kept her in that spot was Inuyasha's love ((whoa!!)). She had worked on her abilities, her Silver Claw Of Death attack had gotten much, much stronger, and she has learned a few other tricks. 

She perked her ears and sprang up on a large rock smelling the air, she smelt two demons, Males, but it wasn't Sesshomaru or Inuyasha, but a different smell, uglier. 

Two male demons in humane forms appear out of nowhere circling Rinku. "Hey, look what we've got here Akki." 

She revealed her claws and jumped down from the rock.

"Yeah your right Kentou" The one named Akki grabbed her arm, "This ones a feisty one." he grinned, directing the next assertion at Rinku "Feisty, eh?" 

She kicked him where it hurts, and he gasped doubling over, "Next time I'll cut it off. Who are you and what do yah want?!" She flicked her claws expertly, but this time she was the one grinning. The demon that was still standing threw her a blow to the head but she just dodged, she'd learn to dodge really well from her days with her mother. 

"Get back here bitch!" Kentou yelled.

Rinku put some distance between her and him. "Come get me!" She taunted. 

"Fine!" His face was turning red with anger as he dashed at her.

"Not too bright are you? Poor guy." She stepped to his left, stuck out her foot and jammed an elbow into the back of his neck as he tripped.

"Kentou!" Akki gasped, obviously recovered; though he didn't seem to want to walk very much.

"Hello there!"

"Gah!" He pulled a knife and ran at her, Rinku knew enough not to try the same trick twice so she just dodged, he managed to get the tip of his knife into her shoulder though, Rinku cried out. And in her pain her instincts took over, she snapped his neck without seeing how.

"Gods." She shook her head to clear the red blurring her vision and saw what she had done. Her arm was gushing blood. "That was fast."

Rinku sneaked through the village towards Inuyasha's house, she walked through the door, blood dripping from in between her fingers. 

"Rinku?" this was his mother speaking, "What happed to your shoulder? What are you doing here?!" 

She just grunted and managed an answer, "I met some unlikely guests at my little spot in the forest" 

"my gosh lets get that wound cleaned up." His mother wrapped her arm and cleaned it with some herbs.

She thanked his mother and walked out of the house, wondering were Inuyasha was, totally forgetting that she was chased out of the village before.

"ITS A MONSTER!" yelled one of the Villagers

"Not this again..." she sighed, and ran into the forest, but stopped in her tracks when she smelt smoke, and turned to see the trees all burning down. She was hearing screams from the villagers about "lets smoke her out," or, "kill the demon." Then she caught a familiar voice, the man who was her so called step father, she ran faster trying to avoid the smoke, she passed her spot bye that stream, to see Inuyasha there waiting for her, "Rinku…" 

"Inuyasha.. i cant stay here" he made a worried face, and then smelt the smoke. 

"The villagers... their burning down the forest" said Inuyasha who was now advancing toward Rinku, she gasped as he pulled her to him and kissed her, he knew she was leaving and wanted to show her how he felt. 

Rinku was frozen with shock, their moment was interrupted by cries of village men, who were standing there with torches watching, "the demon and Inuyasha are a pair!" they threw the torches strait at them.

"RUN!!!!!" Inuyasha yelled, she turned and ran tears in her eyes, as he retreated back to the village. 

*-*-*-*-*-*

Unmei yawned and stretched, the forest was large and she had all day to find what she was looking for. "He can't be dead. It's really not possible." She said to no one in particular. She had gotten much taller, and after her mother died, adopted black kimonos, still with a touch of fire at the sleeves, right shoulder and hemming. She still wore black pants beneath the white under kimono; it made it easier to fight that way. She hummed to herself and her sandals slapped against her heels. Soon she found what she was looking for, the great tree. "Good, there's nothing here." The tree was bare and would be relatively normal were it not so large. Unmei circled around the tree to be on her way, but a flash of red caught her eye. "Inuyasha." She breathed out and stepped up on the tree root to get a better view of him. "It is true, that's sad." Contempt showed on her face. She went to pull the arrow exerting her great strength. A shock of blue fire crept up her hand and she let go, letting it die down. "This is the work of the Shikon No Tama. And the priestess I've been hearing so much about…" She directed the next remark at the dead Inuyasha "Don't worry, Inuyasha, I've heard prophecies, you wont be dead for much longer. Besides thirteen years isn't that long if you've been waiting as long as you have." 


	4. Cheese Cutters and Too Much Milord

{___} that is Kati's comments, not part of the story

When its in two of these (( like this)) that means its Chels-dawg is talking, its not in the fanfic!!!

Underline is the beginning of a chapter

-~-~-~-~-~- Means around same time, different setting, same character(s)

_-_-_-_-_-_ Means Around same time, different people

*-*-*-*-*-* Means years apart baby!! Long time no see

Chapter Four: Cheese Cutters and Too Much Milord

"Hurry up, girl!" Chiizu Setsudanki, demon rogue, yelled at his servant.

"You could call me by a name." The black haired girl grumbled struggling with the baggage she was to carry.

"Nuhi then." The tall golden haired youkai said arrogantly, without looking at her.

She glared at him with her watery brown eyes.

"We've passed the border by miles and ran into no resistance besides the border guards. Where is the almighty lord Sesshomaru? Hiding?" He taunted.

"He'll come. I'm sure of it…" Nuhi sighed.

"He'd better."

_-_-_-_-_-_

"Lord!" The voice emanating from the small green reptilian was high and squeaky and grated against Sesshomaru's eardrums harshly. "The border has been laid open for half a mile, all the border guards have been slaughtered by a golden weasel demon. We've sent out troops but they haven't returned!"

"Who ordered these troops to be sent out?" He knew the answer but it amused him to have Jaken fear for his life and well-being.

"M-m-m-me M-milord." Jaken cringed. 

"Then you shall accompany me to find and exterminate the youkai doing this." Sesshomaru could practically smell the toad's fear.

"Yes Milord!" Jaken scrambled to get the staff and was helped along by a flick from his lord that sent his small body crashing through the paper door of the chamber into the hall. "I'm-on-it-Milord." He gasped.

-~-~-~-~-~-

Sesshomaru traveled to the border and not finding the demon he was looking for started back into the western lands, still searching. Jaken accompanied him, and Rin had stayed behind under the care of her attendants

Rinku walked along, in the same direction but on the main road, her wolf friend –Kannokki- trotting quietly by her side, his golden eyes gleaming as he scanned the path looking for anyone

Sesshomaru appeared in front of her and Jaken ran to catch up.

"Rinku. It's been a long time."

Kannokki growled as he spotted Jaken and bared his fangs. Rinku looked up at Sesshomaru "Yeah, so?"

"Milord? Who is this nuisance." Jaken called catching his breath.

"She is an old acquaintance." He responded

Rinku just sighed, "Who's the toad?"

"Jaken." Sesshomaru did not let the distaste show in his voice.

"Humble servant of Lord Sesshomaru" Jaken added

"Heh, Kannokki's sorta like him... only he's no servant just a… friend" Kannokki snorted as Rinku compared him to Jaken.

"Kannokki is the wolf, I assume" Sesshomaru inquired

"Yeah, but he's no ordinary wolf... he's called a Mist Wolf, the very last of his kind"

"N-n-n-n-nice doggy." Jaken hid behind Sesshomaru, peeking out only when he knew it was safe.

"How... intriguing." Sesshomaru, glared Jaken out of his hiding spot

"Heh, coward." She shot a glance to append the remark aimed at Jaken. "Yeah, but my friend isn't as puny and ugly as yours." 

"I prefer not to call it a friend."

Jaken blinks as he catches the meaning in the phrase.

"Oh i see, playing Mr. Tough, whatever, ill buy that." Rinku smirked.

"Do not insult Sesshomaru-sama!" Jakken positions the staff with the Old One facing Rinku "This shall teach you!"

Like lightning Sesshomaru's hand darted out and snatched the staff, then planted it firmly on Jaken's head

"Heh, stupid toad"

"Owww!" Was the reptile's strangled response.

"What might you be looking for in the western lands?" Sesshomaru asked coolly

She looked down ashamed "I'm.... Looking for Inuyasha's... g-grave" a single tear ran down her cheek, she immediately wiped it off

"As I thought." He said, "He is not here."

She turned and with one more growl to the cowering Jaken Kannokki followed.

"He was sealed to a tree nearly fifty years ago. In the forest now termed Inuyasha." Sesshomaru said to her retreating back.

She spun around with a surprised look on her face "He was what?!"

"Sealed to a tree, by a human" he spat the word "priestess. He let her get close to him and she killed him in the end." Sesshomaru remained aloof.

More tears ran down her face and she turned, not wanting him to see that she was crying. "And how do you know of this?"

"News travels fast if you are the lord of many lands."

"And how…" Rinku took a moment to calm herself "Did a lord such as you come by such a… Disgusting toad as an associate?"

Sesshomaru said nothing.

"Speaking of your most humble servent... might you remove the staff, Milord?" Jaken croaked, the staff was still planted firmly in his green forehead

Kannokki perked his ears for his answer, enjoying himself thoroughly

Sesshomaru ignored Jaken.

"Then... mightn't we be on our way…" Jaken flinched as Sesshomaru applied more pressure "Milord?"

Rinku just stood there waiting for an answer, she was proud of her question, glad to buy some time to cool down from the news he had just given her.

"We have a hunt to return to Jaken." With that he dropped the staff and walked past Rinku and Kannokki.

Jaken snatched up the staff rubbing his head, then hastened after his lord. "Wait Milord!! Wait for me!!" Kannokki bit Jaken as he raced by.

"Owwoww!!" He thwacked Kannokki with the staff then ran as fast as he could, following his master into the dense under growth beside the road

Kannokki itched his head were Jaken had hit pretending that Jaken was a stupid, harmless mosquito. Rinku just sighed and watched the two disappear between the trees walk off

_-_-_-_-_-_

Rinku started to search for Inuyasha after her visit from Sesshomaru, so she could pay her respects, and to see him again. It was a long journey, and every time she would stop to rest she would have the same dream, constantly. It wasn't exactly a bad dream, it was of when they were little, and she still roamed the village relatively freely.

In the dream they were running through a field with some flowers. It was their secret clearing in the forest, where they went to play, and not be bothered by the demon-hating villagers. They were laughing as the flowers sparkled and glimmered under there feet. After that they laid in the field and talk about the future and of demons. Though that never really happened she guessed it was just part of her imagination. They would be happy, and their love lived on. Inuyasha would lean over and smile at her, and then become older -what she pictured he would look like now, if he were alive- and she would smile back, they would both bend forward to kiss, but the dream would end there. 

She was happy back then, at least more than now, now she was all alone, despite Kannokki. She knew no one else who would befriend her, except Sesshomaru, but could she really call him a friend? She didn't think so, and last was Unmei, but she'd disappeared a long time ago. 

She got up and brushed herself off, she had been sleeping for longer than she thought, she shrugged and walked off in the direction for what she "thought" to be the direction of the tree were Inuyasha was sealed, Kannokki wandered off ahead as she continued her even pace. 

_-_-_-_-_-_

"This Lord Sesshomaru character you keep mentioning is lower than dirt if he can't come welcome me." Chiizu sniffed disdainfully. "He is a coward to hide."

"Lord Sesshomaru does not hide when there is scum about." A rather annoying voice came from behind them.

"Who makes a mockery of Lord Chiizu Setsudanki?" They turned around simultaneously. And seeing nothing he glanced about. "Where are you, come out and fight!"

"Ahem! Down here." Nuhi and Lord Chiizu's gaze traveled down at least three feet before coming to rest on a rather green toad-like creature holding a staff horizontally with two heads on it.

"You puny little reptilian. You dare call me scum?" Chiizu leapt into the air, readying his weasel claws and the toad only just managed to get out of the way.

All the while the frog was screaming "Sesshomaru-sama! Lord Sesshomaru!"

"Stop." A sleek voice cut through the noise. 

Jaken scurried off to the source of the voice "Make way for Lord Sesshomaru." He squeaked.

"Jaken, who is this lowlife?" Sesshomaru said.

"I am Lord Chiizu Setsudanki. I've come to take over the western lands." The offending demon said, rather sure of himself.

"Then, let us fight."

Chiizu fell into a fighting stance, then launched himself headlong at Sesshomaru. Jaken and Nuhi just stood by.

"Poison claw." Chiizu's momentum sent him stomach first into Sesshomaru's attack. He gasped.

Sesshomaru extracted his hand from Chiizu's gut and dropped him distastefully on the ground. "Fool."

"That's what he was. Always, and forever." Nuhi commented.

"Human." Sesshomaru said shortly. But he could do no more than that as the girl dropped the luggage and shot off, into the forest. Sesshomaru could hunt her later if he felt like it, humans rarely made it out of demon territory without assistance, but the black kimono that had spilled out of one of one of the bags was tugging at his attention. He went over and picked it up with one claw. A wave of familiarity washed over him. The garment had fire hemming, in red silk.


	5. Trees and Shirts, and DONT FORGET TO REV...

{___} that is Kati's comments, not part of the story

When its in two of these (( like this)) that means its Chels-dawg is talking, its not in the fanfic!!!

Underline is the beginning of a chapter

-~-~-~-~-~- Means around same time, different setting, same character(s)

_-_-_-_-_-_ Means Around same time, different people

*-*-*-*-*-* Means years apart baby!! Long time no see

Chapter Five: Trees and Shirts

Rinku finally found the tree, just to see Inuyasha gone, and Kannokki sitting laxly next to the tree growling. She sniffed and wrinkled her nose. "What is this? Not here? And I smell the scent of a FEMALE human." she walked down the trail following his scent, just to leave her to a lake with a broken bridge, the same humane smell was there to.

Later Rinku decided to go to the tree and retrace her steps. Kannokki was asleep next to the tree, snoring lightly, she ignored him and smelt it again and around it, the scent had been a few days old, and she wondered were Inuyasha could have been, she had an idea.... she wandered off toward the village there she got a sharp scent of Inuyasha, and some arguing, she jumped in a tree, and looked around, and there, ling on the ground was Inuyasha and a girl, ONTOP of him, yelling: "TAKE YOUR SHIRT OFF!!!!", she noticed that her scent was the same scent from the tree, she growled and Inuyasha seemed to perk his ears as if he heard her, she coward back and jumped to a farther tree, she ordered herself, that she was not to cry anymore, and that it made her look "weak" she jumped down and gave Kannokki a tap with her foot and he yawned and got up, "Kannokki we're going back to see Sesshomaru" he gave a stiff nod and followed her back through the forest.

If getting into the palace grounds was hard, then getting into Sesshomaru's rooms was worse and finding the Tenseiga was purely a pain in the ass for Nuhi. She finally located it in a back room adorned with weapons and armor of all sorts. Taking it from the room she slid the paper door back and walked into the bedchamber Pausing in front of the full-length polished silver mirror. She berated herself mentally for losing the brown eye tint, and the black toner was wearing out of her hair showing her blue-ish highlights. In this state she really hoped Sesshomaru didn't show up, he would figure it out soon enough if he did. Something caught her eye, three mahogany boxes lying on a low nightstand by the futon, and a folded black silk kimono on it. She walked over and picked up one of the boxes, sliding the top off like she knew it could be removed she found bitter brown herbs used to temporarily dye things, like eyes. "Crap." Nuhi whispered.

"You left them behind." 

Nuhi spun on her heel to see Sesshomaru. "Damn it." She threatened him with the sword.

"It only has the ability to heal." Sesshomaru wasted no time in slamming her against the wall and sending the aforementioned sword clattering to a halt before the mirror. "Who are you really? You don't smell human." His face remained straight, but his voice hinted anger.

"You mean to tell me that demon Lord Sesshomaru can't tell, it's only been just over one hundred years."

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes and shifted both her wrists to his left hand resting the assembly above her head on the wall. With his free hand he began to scratch at the skin on her right cheek, a thin line of blood appeared. But the skin peeled off, revealing three parallel silver triangle markings. When he was done her face had seven silver markings and her amethyst eyes glittered mischievously. "Unmei."

"Took you long enough, didn't it?" Unmei smirked.

"Of what value is the Tenseiga to you?"

"You remember my father? I'm going to resurrect him."

"You seek to take it without my consent."

"I got the impression that you wouldn't give it to me freely, you still won't."

"Milord! I regret to announce…" The door slid open and Jaken was visible, "That all of the guards have been rendered unconscious, there is a girl loose in the palace but we can't find her anywhere!" Finally Jaken looked at the pair, who were both staring at him. "Excepting here, of course." He added meekly.

"Gotta run!" Unmei slipped from Sesshomaru's grasp and snatched up the Tenseiga on her way out the door. As Sesshomaru went to pursue her she shoved Jaken face first into him. Jaken squawked as he was pushed aside and watched his lord stop on the covered porch/hall. The sounds of yelling convoy reached his keen ears, Unmei was out of his reach, for now at least. 

The hunt was on, Unmei had a good mile on him, but the gap was closing as Sesshomaru used his dog form to catch up. Yet once more had Rin stayed behind, this time Jaken had too, the chase was too fast for the small demon. 

Sesshomaru could smell her, just ahead, as he dodged trees. She had taken a path through the forest to slow his progress, his demon form was useless

Kannokki sat in the shadows, only his gleaming eyes visible as he sensed a demon; Sesshomaru.

Rinku looked toward Kannokki, then toward the chase. "Is that... Unmei? And Sesshomaru!"

The aforementioned youkai raced past the wolf, and intent on his chase did not heed it.

Unmei wove around the trees and sensing new presence in the pursuit she glanced over her shoulder.

"Rinku?" She called "Could it be?"

Rinku jumped from tree to tree, focused on keeping up, her curiosity taking over. 

Kannokki turned into a blanket of mist in the shape of a wolf, with red, glowing eyes, as a Mist Wolf in his true form.

She jumped down in front of Unmei "HIYAS! Wow it's been years, huh?"

"Hey! Yeah, been a long time." Unmei screeched to a halt, clutching the sword. "Can we talk while we run? Hey who's this?" She spotted the wolf, err mist.

Kannokki growled and went solid again at the approaching Sesshomaru.

"We've gotta get out of here, i'll explain later." Unmei glanced back at the trees.

"Um, ok" They both resumed the rapid pace.

Kannokki grunted and went back into mist form, all the while totting at Rinku's side

"Can the Wolf of yours fly?" Unmei eyed the mist in the wolf's place. "And carry passengers?"

"Yeah, I think... Kannokki up to it?" Kannokki gave what looked like an affirmative, the mist grew and became a larger version of kannokki as it grew solid into a live wolf.

Rinku jumped up on to its back, "Alright!" Unmei followed suit

"Kannokki you rock!!" He jumped up flying off, away from Sesshomaru and the forest.


	6. Running Fast and Missing, REVEIWS! PLEAS...

{___} that is Kati's comments, not part of the story

When its in two of these (( like this)) that means its Chels-dawg is talking, its not in the fanfic!!!

Underline is the beginning of a chapter

-~-~-~-~-~- Means around same time, different setting, same character(s)

_-_-_-_-_-_ Means Around same time, different people

*-*-*-*-*-* Means years apart baby!! Long time no see

Kati: The song by Sum41 does not belong to us, we only thought the title suited the chapter! By the way, Chels is being a lazy bum and is determined to make our fic suck more than the parallel universe one she's got going for it, so go visit what she's got and see which is better.

Chapter Six: Running Fast and Missing

"Wow! We're kinda high, aren't we?" Unmei glanced down at the clouds "When do we plan on landing?" 

Kannokki grunted then he transformed back into his regular form and they went plunging to the ground. 

"Errm!! NOT WHAT I HAD INTENDED!!!!!" She called. 

"YAHHHHHH!!!!" Rinku hit a tree and Kannokki landed firmly on the ground. She stood up, balanced on the branch and looked around for Unmei . 

"Over here" Unmei hung, looking rather undignified, by her kimono from a nearby tree. 

"Heh ^-^" Rinku jumped over and sat on the branch Unmei was hanging from. "So what now??" 

"Now, we find a place to hide..." Unmei rights herself. "The little flying thing will send Sesshomaru on a detour for a while, not long enough though." 

Unmei looked around... then spotting the Tensaiga, she leapt to the ground and picked it up. 

"Little flying thing??"

"Errm, you know." 

Kannokki sat there like he was doing nothing and stared off into space. 

"Well, we've gotta go find my father... his body at least." 

"Okkies ^-^" Rinku jumped down from the tree. 

"And to do that we've gotta go back to the village." Unmei flinched. 

Rinku's ears perked "village..." 

"Yup, the village." 

She sat for a moment unsure of her experiences with VILLAGES!!, but then flicked her claws and grined. "ok lets go!! ^_^" 

"Alright!" And they were off. 

-~-~-~-~-~-

"Hasn't changed much, has it?" Unmei Rinku and Kannokki sauntered through the village. 

"Uh, um I guess" she shuddered 

Her eyes widened as she saw a pile of wood that used to be a house/cabin thingy..... her mothers 

"You really don't like this place, if you don't wanna come you can stay on the out skirts of town, I won't be long." Unmei glanced uncertainly at her companion 

She snorted and growled avoiding it, Kannokki just... was.. um.... kannokki 

"naw its ok ^-^" 

((NAW!!)) 

((HAH)) 

"Fine." 

she took one last glimpse of it and trotted after Unmei. ((do they run into inu!)) 

Unmei trotted up to one of the humans working in the field. "Hey! Can you tell me who is the vilage leader here?" 

The man looked up. "The third hut on the right." he grunted, then ignored them 

Kannokki sighed , he was at least as big as a villeger, cause he was a demon changeing sizes alot 

"Well, err, thanks..." Unmei moved to the aforementioned house, thinking up a story to tell the leader. She knocked on the door frame. 

"Yes? What do you want?" An old man came out, brushing aside the door screen. 

"We're demon exterminators, we'd heard about a demon being buried here with the prophecy that he'd be back in two hundred years." Unmei lied.

Kannokki growled at the puny village person... 

The old man's eyes went wide and he turned to go back inside. 

Rinku bopped Kannokki on the head and he sat in the shade of a tree growling 

"Hey Wait!! We're here to get rid of him!" Unmei shouted. 

"He left three months ago." 

"How could he? He was dead!!" 

Rinku stood there confused with there conversation 

"Not as dead as you think, he'd been around here for the last two hundred years, after my great great great {great great great….} Grandfather found him on the side of the road, we knew he was demon then, no one lives that long." 

"Where was he headed?" Unmei could hardly contain her excitement. 

She finally caught up. "So that demon Shesshomaru killed, Unmei's father. Is still alive, eh?"

"Who's Unmei??" The man crowed, confused. 

"Where was he headed?" Unmei grabbed the village man by the collar of his fuku. 

"Er, um " 

Kannokki enjoyed watching Unmei beat up the puny human and wagged his tail.

"West!" The frightened geezer peeped then as Unmei let him go, he went scurrying away. 

Kannokki jumped as if to eat the human but Rinku dargged him away 

"Let's go..." Unmei could feel many sets of eyes on her back as the trio left. 

"I want to beat up the next HUMAN!!" Rinku stated as they left the humans. "or a demon would be nice." 

"Wait till we find Jaken and Sesshomaru... then you can have all the fun you want with him... "Unmei added as she caught Kannokki's mischievous gaze "JAKEN, not Sesshomaru." 

Kannokki grunted. "But Jaken… well he's no competition, and Sesshomaru, is well... he's Sesshomaru and I don't really think I could beat him." 

((Was that Kannokki???)) 

"Or maybe..." she went into one of her thinking sessions, then after a few min of thinking "ALRIGHTY THEN!!!" 

"How very modest of you. We should fly, we'll cover more ground that way." Unmei glanced at the now cloudy sky 

"But Kannokki well he's no good at landing" 

Kannokki "GRRRRRR!!!!!!" 

"Don't care, I can stand it if I have to." 

Rinku flattened her ears and kneeled down to Kannokki's level and "grrrrrrred" in his face 

"Hmm, are you two done yet??" 

Unmei glanced ahead at the coming rain 

"Yah!! ^-^" After a grrring fight Kannokki transformed into his giant wolf form and flew off with them on his back.

"So were are we going again?!" 

"The west... again." 

Kannokki flew towards the west 

-~-~-~-~-~-

They found an east-facing cave, where they could watch for pursuers and had a good supper, they were just lying down to rest.

Rinku sat there and wandered for a few sec. "Hey that WAS Inu's village, when we were little I mean" 

"Yeah, too many bad memories... but there's good ones there too." 

"No good memories in my half" 

Kannokki snorted 

"Yes there are!" Unmei continued "Like the time Inuyasha fell into the stream... we all had to fish him out with a pole even though the water only came up about six inches" 

"Yeah ^-^ but Sesshomaru didn't like it to much ^_^" 

"That's only because we knocked him in with the pole afterwards." 

The fire crackled, letting off sparks. 

She laughed "those were the days... now were all separate except for us, but Inu..." 

"Do tell!" 

"Hmpf" 

"When i saw him last he was…with a girl, a HUMAN to be exact" 

"Hmm, well, can't blame him for being lonely... maybe its just animal magnetism." {HAH!}

"Yeah but wasn't he just unsealed, I followed THEIR scent from the tree to where... they were" 

"Hmm? Were they now?" 

"Another tree, but she was… erm… on top of him, yelling to take his clothes off." She crossed her arms and snorted. "Not that I care, if he wants to be with a mangy human then so be it!" 

"Maybe you misunderstood the situation." Unmei glanced at the dark horizon. 

"…. He probably doesn't even remember me anyways so why does it matter" 

"Hmm, your hurt, I can feel it. So don't act like you don't care, I know you do." 

She gave a pissed off look at Unmei and curled up in a random corner next to Kannokki "I don't care..." 

"Right. Whatever makes you happy. " Unmei laid down at the mouth of the cave, and soon sleep took her. 

-~-~-~-~-~-

__

The day was old; Unmei and Sesshomaru stood on a balcony together, watching the ocean. There was a boat with a white sail on it. The sun was setting, spilling crimson across the waters like blood. Neither of them said anything, they just stared out onto the sea. Then out of the sunset rode a cloud. 

Sesshomaru said "I will leave you now, I go to seek Inuyasha, when I return I will be missing something." 

Unmei nodded in acknowledgement still gazing at the cloud. Something stirred in her, her heart pounded and she refused to admit to herself what the feeling was, it was human, below her level. "I will wait for you."

Sesshomaru nodded and stepped off into the cloud, then he was taken away. And his right arm caught her eye; it was gone.

_-_-_-_-_-_

Sesshomaru had been tracking the girls' scent to where it stopped then continued west instead of going to Inuyasha's village. He found them in the cave in the western mountains, both asleep, as the eastern rising sun filtered in the cave mouth. 

Sesshomaru silently walked over to the sleeping Rinku and laying a hand on her shoulder woke her. 

"Huh wha? Sesshomaru?? What are you doing here? Unmei's gonna kkkiiiiiiiilllllllllllll you! " 

"Shut up." Sesshomaru's voice was a dangerous whisper 

She shut up looking at Unmei to see if she was still asleep 

She was. 

Sesshomaru walked to the entrance of the cave, on the cliff in front of it. 

Rinku stood and followed quietly. 

"She stole my Tenseiga." 

"Oh... oh yah I saw it earlier ^-^...why'd she do that??" 

"I do not know." 

"...." 

"I was hoping you could tell me." He glanced in her direction 

"Well I did hear that her fathers still around... but that doesn't really relate to the subject" 

"He's alive?" Sesshomaru finally turned to face her. 

"Yah why dose that bother you?" she then remembers that Sesshy had killed.. Or attempted to kill him years ago 

"He died, I know it, it was under my claws." His eyes searched Rinku's face for any detail that might betray a lie. 

"I know, I was there." 

"So why do you say he is still living?"

"I heard it at Inu's" she paused as she used Inuyasha's name "...village" 

"I see. So it is not confirmed." Sesshomaru faced the rising sun again." 

"... Have you... heard from Inuyasha lately?" 

"No, my brother has passed from all of my servant's vision." 

"Oh." She sighed, remembering Inu, then she caught an image of that girl on top of him and growled to herself shaking away her thoughts

"Gods! Rinku, do you usually get up this early?" A bleary eyed Unmei trotted from the cave, rubbing sleep from her eyes. 

"Er..." Rinku turned and pushed Sesshomaru off the cliff 

Sesshomaru was caught off guard and he fell gracefully, catching onto an overhang. 

"Yeah! I'm gonna go do some hunting! Gotta eat breakfast ya no!" 

"Was there someone else out here?" Unmei finished rubbing and looked up. 

She turned and walked off regretting her words, "no not at all!" 

"Just a stupid bird or something" 

_-_-_-_-_-_

Sesshomaru heard her words, he would make Rinku pay. He was not, by any means a stupid bird. He started the short climb back up. 

Her ears flinched as she heard Sesshomaru climbing up, and walked faster not wanting to be there when he comes back up 

Unmei had her back to the cliff as Sesshomaru pulled himself up and over the edge silently. He dusted himself off. "You seem to attract trouble, or do you look for it, Unmei?" 

Kannokki sat in the cave's mouth over looking the two, he growled slightly 

Unmei spun around, her sleepy front gone instantly. "You should have stayed off the cliff, where Rinku put you." She flicked out her claws. 

Sesshomaru started toward her, "You have something of mine." 

"I don't need it, my fathers alive, no thanks to you." With that Unmei backed into the wall of the cave, grabbed the Tenseiga from behind her then hurled it off the cliff. Sesshomaru gave her less than a glance then went after it.


	7. Dreams Of Forever

{___} that is Kati's comments, not part of the story

When its in two of these (( like this)) that means its Chels-dawg is talking, its not in the fanfic!!!

Underline is the beginning of a chapter

-~-~-~-~-~- Means around same time, different setting, same character(s)

_-_-_-_-_-_ Means Around same time, different people

*-*-*-*-*-* Means years/months apart baby!! Long time no see

Kati: Err, happy little dream sequence by Chels and partially me, mush courtesy of Chels.

Chapter Seven: Dreams of Forever

Rinku was walking through the forest she was having a hard time with the hunting, not that she couldn't find and kill the prey, its that she couldn't concentrate. She sat beneath a tree, exhausted, and feel into a deep sleep.

-~-~-~-~-~-

__

She was sitting in the grass, the valley in which Inu and her used to play in, she felt arms go around her waist and instantly turned claws bared ready to defend herself, but just to see Inuyasha. "I-Inuyasha?!" He put his hand on hers, his fingers resting on hers making her hand into a fist, leaving her open. He advanced closer her hand was still in his as he grabbed her other in his free hand, she found his grasp tight, and as her leaned over she suspected for him to attack. But to her surprise he just kissed her, and it wasn't a short kiss either, she was in shock, feeling his tongue join hers, she just relaxed. When he pulled away from her, she looked sad not wanting it to end, but he just turned and smiled like a puppy and trotted a few steps motioning for her to follow. She was still frozen with shock, but took a step forward, then more she broke into a run as Inuyasha did also and they started playing a little game of chase. She paused and looked around she had lost sight of him, the sky was dark, the wind was cold and the snow whirled around her in clouds. She was looking, infinitely, for Inuyasha. There was a moor ahead of her, she could only barely make it out, and at the end of it was a silhouetted form. Him. He smiled and turned, and started running again she accelerated too. But they kept running and she couldn't catch up. Her thoughts consisted of two words: catch up. Catch up. Catch up. Catch up. They echoed around in her brain, and then instead of catching up…  


She woke up, her heart pounding, and her body drenched in a cold sweat. "I will find him." She arose and walked, careful to cover her scent, away from the cave, Kannokki and Unmei.

*-*-*-*-*-*

Unmei never heard from Rinku after the hanyou left the cave, leaving Kannokki the Mist Wolf behind. Nearly a year had passed after Rinku's disappearance and Unmei and Kannokki searched to no avail. 

"Kannokki, maybe we should just give up, she's vanished from this world and possibly the next." Unmei ruffled Kannokki's head fur. 

Kannokki shook off her hand and kept walking.

"Well, I'm sorry! Gods your grumpy!" Unmei trotted to catch up. They entered a large meadow surrounded by trees; there was an old broken down well in the center, and on it stood a girl and a very familiar hanyou; Inuyasha.

_-_-_-_-_-_

"Kagome, are you sure…" His words just softened and dwindled off as Kagome's downcast eyes leaked salt water.

"It's for the good of your world and mine." She wiped away her tears, always trying to be strong, even though she was human. Even though all Inuyasha felt like doing was holding her and making her stay with him.

"I want you to stay here, you can seal the well from here and your world will be safe." Inuyasha objected.

"My family needs me, I have friends in that world, and besides the Shikon No Tama would be here and we'd still have to fight off demons. It's reentered my body, it would be dangerous to stay here."

"I'd fight off a million monsters, they couldn't beat me before, they can't beat me now."

"And what happens when you slip up? We'd both die, the jewel would fall into dark hands and both worlds would be torn to bits by the corrupted thing. I can't do that, Inuyasha, I just can't."

"Then I'll come with you." Inuyasha snatched her hand.

"You aren't human, you would scare people. And it's illegal to kill in my world, you can't repress your instincts forever."

"You offered me the chance to become human with you. I'd take it, and come with you." He raised their clasped hands to chest level, drawing her closer.

"Inuyasha, I need you to stay here and eliminate anything that might threaten the portals unemployment, or anything that might live long enough to gain acceptance into my era. I'm sorry, there's no way to work around it. I go my way you go yours." Kagome looked into his amber eyes. "Truly, I am sorry." She kissed him on the cheek and freed her hand. "Goodbye forever Inuyasha." And then she was gone, into the well.

Inuyasha sat down on the well, his head in his hands. Then he turned and jumped into the well, hopeful. But when his claws met only dry bones and dirt he cried out in anguish. 

After a couple minutes of silence a lilting voice carried to his sensitive ears. "I-nu-yasha." It separated his name as if dissecting a helpless animal pinned to a metal tray, as if it was interested yet estranged, as if the owner held more power than he himself did.

He looked up, half expecting it to be his elder brother with a voice-lift. But none other than Unmei, his brother's long-lost friend, met his eyes.

"Did you miss me? I see your little escapade with the jewel is over, as is your chance to become one of them. I don't understand your logic on the subject, but, to-each-his-own." She shrugged.

"I didn't miss you, if you really wanted to know, but there's nothing between us. I don't know what you saw, but we're only friends." Inuyasha growled, bringing a clenched fist up to show his emotion.

"Well, well, well, your manners certainly haven't improved, show respect to your elders, child." Unmei was smug, examining him. 

"Your one to comment on manners, geezer." 

"Now, now, I'm not that much your senior, but down to business, you remember Rinku, correct?" 

"Yeah, what about her?" He felt a twinge of guilt.

"She's looking for you, ever since just before your showdown with Lord Sesshomaru-"

"**Lord** Sesshomaru? Since when?"

"Since he inherited the western lands from your father of late." Unmei was amused, watching the hanyou's face twisting from regret at the mention of his father, to anger at the inheritance.

"Fine, so what about Rinku?" He changed the subject.

"Have you seen her lately."

"No, I've been… busy."

"Will you search for her with me?"

"All right. When do we start?" Inuyasha took the well in one leap and was at the top before he finished his sentence.

"Now." She turned to lead the way but stopped at the growling Kannokki. "Oh, yes, by the way, this is Kannokki. Kannokki, Inuyasha. Inuyasha, Kannokki. Skip the pleased to meet you junk and cut to the chase. Kannokki, stop growling!" She tapped him lightly over the head. He shot her a dirty look then turned "He's Rinku's." Unmei added shortly. And then they all walked into the border of the woods. 


	8. Bring Out The Big Dogs

Disclaimer: Standard…

Kati: Took us long enough, I was writing my other fic, Chels was too

Chels: Yah but you took soooooooooo long!!

Chapter Eight: Bring Out The Big Dogs

"No sign of Rinku, eh, Kannokki?" Unmei and Inuyasha had long since left the forest of Inuyasha. Unmei remained calm though. 

"Are you talkin' to that dog thing again?" Inuyasha had been pushing his luck with the wolf since he met him.

Kannokki growled fiercely and rounded on the unfortunate hanyou.

"YOU TWO! NOT NOW! We've gotta find Rinku." Unmei chided.

Kannokki snorted then launched himself at Inuyasha.

"Gerroff me you flea bitten mutt!" Inuyasha was pinned to the ground by Kannokki's oversized paws.

Kannokki growled even more.

"Come on you two! Your such lazy bums!" Unmei kept walking.

"Grrrrrrrrrrr." Kannokki gave her a ticked look and got off Inuyasha.

"Mongrel." Inuyasha muttered.

Hours upon hours later, they had entered the shadow of another forest, this time it was far into the Western Lands, the same one that Unmei had been chased through by Sesshomaru.

"These are Sesshomaru's lands. Be wary." Unmei warned. Immediately, out of the corner of her, she saw Kannokki fade away. He'd become the Mist Form his kind was famed for and then gone out of his way to disappear into the trees. "Kannokki's gone, don't look for him, you won't find him. We're being watched anyway."

"If these are Sesshomaru's lands then I'm a fool. Sesshomaru owns nothing, he's a coward." Inuyasha ranted.

"Fool." A voice mocked him. They couldn't see the source yet, but it was near.

"Speaking of the devil." Unmei mused.

"Hello, Unmei, Inuyasha." Sesshomaru stepped out of the shadows behind Unmei.

"Wha' do ya want?" Inuyasha.

"Do ya need to ask?" Unmei groaned.

"Nothing, at the moment." Sesshomaru kept his gaze fixed on Inuyasha and ignored Unmei.

"It's the Tetsusaiga, isn't it? Well your gonna have to fight me for it then!" Inuyasha leapt into the air and drew the Tetsusaiga, it didn't change, this proved a sufficient enough distraction to allow Unmei to slip into the trees in search of Kannokki.

"You seem to have run out of luck, brother, without anyone to protect, your sword is useless." Sesshomaru drew the Tenseiga, then to Inuyasha's surprise, stuck it into the ground halfway up to the hilt. "We need to speak of more demanding matters."

"Yeah? Like what?" Inuyasha followed suit with his sword, begrudgingly. 

"My lands are being attacked by many forces of Youkai. I know not who is responsible."

"And I care because?"

"Rinku was seen among those forces."

"WHAT!" Inuyasha's attention was snagged now.

"I do not know whether it was forced or by choice, but if that is not enough reason I was told the dry well is being overtaken by the same forces."

"Kagome!"

"Yes." 

"What do you want me to do about it?" Inuyasha was worried Sesshomaru could sense it, but he regained his mask of indifference.

"You can protect Rinku with the Tetsusaiga."

Inuyasha answered too quickly to be really considering, his mind was made up. "Ok, lets go."

Rinku sat there next to this old guys stupid throne, some kind of glowing rope thing around her neck, her ears twitched as she growled in frustration. "Grrrr." She sighed and flattend her ears against her head, and bared her fangs slightly at the approaching guards, the old man tapped her on the head with some kind of staff. 

~*~*~*~FLASH BACK~*~*~*~

Rinku trotted along the dirt path, on her way to the dry well, actually she was following Inu's scent but it was leading her to the dry well. When she got to the well she poked her head over the side and sniffed, she wrinkled her nose at the smell. "Humph! that girl, but Inu too, smells like a depressed scent." She leaned over but fell in, "Whoa didn't see that coming." She rubbed her head and sat at the bottom of the well looking up at the ((RING!)) sunlight that was rushing through the base of the opening. She jumped out, but through the corner of her eye saw a shiny string-like glowy thing rushing toward her, she dodged it and smirked at the elderly man who was grinning at her, not too mention the several groups of Youkai joining behind him. She stepped back a few paces, "what do ya want old man? You have no business here" he grinned raising his arm, holding the glowy rope thing that he thrust at her earlier. "You..." she grinned and leapt at him extending her claws "We'll see about that! SILVER CLAW OF-" she was caught off guard as the rope suddenly slid around her neck jerking her back as it grew tighter and tighter, she growled looking up at the man who was grinning wildly, and at the Youkai that had surrounded her. 

~*~*~*~END FLASH BACK~*~*~*~

Kannokki smelled the old fear, and the old struggle. It was dim but his sharp nose just barely caught it, Rinku. Kannokki was a Mist Wolf, the last of his kind, he needed no one to help him find his mistress. So he began to set off alone.

"Don't even think about it!" Unmei bounded from the underbrush and landed on Kannokki's back. "I know what you're thinking, but you aren't leaving without me."

Kannokki growled and bucked. But to no avail, Unmei was a Youkai of course.

"Done yet?" Unmei asked, not the least bit shaken.

Kannokki growled in submission, and leapt into the sky. Air travel is faster any day.


	9. Um i cant really remeber the name of thi...

Disclaimer: (fanfiction writer's oath)

We didn't own it,

We don't own it,

We won't own it.

Ouch.

Boo hoo, wahhh, switched again, this time to Chels's account. It's been edited tho.

Chapter Nine: Cold Meetings

The night air was cold on Sesshomaru's face as he stood on the porch of his palace. He and Inuyasha had reached it that evening and were waiting for Unmei to catch up to them, as Sesshomaru had predicted she would stop by and help herself to provisions from his stock. He was getting exceedingly good at predicting her movements, as anyone's.

"She here yet?" Inuyasha was solemn.

A crash interrupted them and the squawk of demon guards reached their ears.

"Apparently so." Sesshomaru was less than warm as he strolled toward the sounds.

Unmei couldn't keep her heart from racing ahead of her, she knew Sesshomaru knew she was here, in fact she had gone out of her way to make a couple of the guards scream to alert him. She could have easily just run them through without a sound. And she didn't want to sound like 'school-girl-in-love' but…

"Please, Unmei, good guards are hard to find these days, and we are short on them already." Sesshomaru was silently approached from behind.

"They aren't good guards." Unmei rolled a shoulder.

"Hmm."

"We should get going."

"Provisions are in my quarters, along with everything we may need."

"All right!" Unmei was off to the quarters like a shot.

The trek was long and hard into the mountains of the Western Lands, it took less time than it would for three humans but still went agonizingly slow. Everyone was uncomfortable, Unmei being the only female, Sesshomaru being –well- Sesshomaru, and Inuyasha being a hanyou. Inuyasha was really very strong, but the pace that had been set was swift with very few stops, even the two youkai were having a very hard time of it. They had sent Kannokki off in front of them to scout two days ago, and hadn't heard from him yet.

"Stupid idea, sending Kannokki off, I shoulda known he wouldn't come back, the two-timer." Unmei was breathing heavily as they stopped for a break among the snowy craigs.

"Yeah, he probably…knew the way too." Inuyasha gasped out.

"Get down." Sesshomaru's chest rose and fell lightly as he gazed off into the snowstorm.

"Wha'?" Inuyasha croaked, his throat sore from the abuse of breathing through his mouth.

"I said, get down." Sesshomaru crouched behind a rock and let the snow pile on him.

Unmei threw herself down, cursing her dark garment. Inuyasha followed suit and tried to bury into the snowdrifts.

"They've seen us." Unmei breathed.

Seven dark shapes of bird-like demons materialized out of the blizzard. They circled once around the mountaintop.

"When they get here, jump up fightin'." Inuyasha whispered.

The birds landed.

Unmei and Inuyasha jumped to their feet; the snow fell off of them and the chaos ensued.

"Gah!" Inuyasha's blood stained the white snow as his shoulder was slit by the bird's talons. "Iron Reaper!" He took a swing at one and the wing exploded in a shower of crimson droplets.

"Fate of Doomed!" Unmei slashed one opponent down and started on the next. She was feeling the effects of the sleepless journey now, they weighted her limbs and made her slower than acceptable, a claw caught her on the back and made he tumble into another, it sliced cloth and skin, she felt a muscle strain and then go limp. 

Sesshomaru delayed to get up, then he made his attacks from behind, swiftly and silently. He watched his companions get battered and fall with all except three of their opponents. Two of the remaining enemies made eye contact and then scoop the fallen comrades up with their claws, the third lingered too long and Sesshomaru gained control of it, he guided it after the two and knew where they were going: the tunnels.


End file.
